8/27/2008 Update:

Suspicious brown package found Sinatra Drive between 5th & 6th.

Sheesh, people can’t even ship stuff UPS anymore….

8/27/2008:

Since I can’t be everywhere at once, I’ll get this story started about what I’ve been hearing on the Live Hoboken Police and Fire Scanner.

Something going on at Stevens/Sinatra Drive

At the current time, Sinatra Drive is closed between 4th and 11th Streets. It sounds as if there’s some kind of problem near the Steven Campus (at that parking garage indicated in the picture above).

Emergency crews are near “grade level” of the complex, and they’ve evacuated nearby buildings.

I can’t determine at this time whether it’s a collapse of some kind, a power-related issue (I heard PSE&G mentioned on the radio), or anything else.

I will be in and out of the office this afternoon, so anyone listening in, or in the vicinity please feel free to add comments to keep this situation up to date.

8/28/2008 Update:

In case you’re a sick twisted individual that gets off seeing pictures of the Hoboken Parking cart all busted up, here are a couple more reader-submitted pictures. Sent in by Hector, taken by his friend Lee:

Other pics after the jump…

[Click to continue reading the rest….]

8/25/2008:

Calls over the Live Hoboken Police & Fire scanner for struck pedestrians are happening at such an alarming rate, I almost don’t flinch anymore. This one a few minutes ago near 1st and Hudson Streets.

And lately, as I observe drivers and pedestrians more closely, I’m beginning to think that more often than not, it’s the pedestrian’s fault for bombarding the streets like they’re invincible.

8/21/2008:

At about 1:20pm, it was reported that a crane collapsed at the Union Dry Dock & Repair facility on Sinatra Drive.

One person fell in the water, but no serious injuries were reported. The worker was taken to HUMC for observation. There was also concern that the crane (engine still running) may have leaked some kind of fuel in the water, in addition to the piles of debris.

Regardless, the whole gang is involved. New York Harbor Patrol, Hoboken Marine One, Hoboken Fire, Hoboken Police, three ambulances, and building inspector are now on the scene.

I wonder if they can deem the facility “unsafe” to pave way for more high-rise condos!?

PHOTO GALLERY (HOLD MOUSE OVER IMAGE TO NAVIGATE - 7 PHOTOS IN THIS SET)

8/19/2008 Afternoon Update:

As of noon today, the signal is still broken, and 14th Street eastbound from Willow is closed.

Workers on the scene said that the incident actually happened at 5am, but they were notified two hours later at 7am. “We could have been done by now if they had only called us when it happened…”

When asked how long it typically takes to repair damage such as this, I got the “all-in-one” response: “It depends.. could take an hour or two, 25 minutes, all-day or possibly an all-nighter…”

Fair enough.

PHOTO GALLERY (HOLD MOUSE OVER IMAGE TO NAVIGATE - 5 PHOTOS IN THIS SET)

SEE ORIGINAL UPDATE WITH TRACTOR UNDER LIGHT AFTER THE JUMP…

[Click to continue reading the rest….]

8/19/2008:

Are there any “safe” parking spots left in town?

The hits keep on coming

Here is another cautionary tale of how parking your car on a Hoboken street can lead to it’s early demise.

Imagine getting ready for dinner and hearing a tremendous crash outside your home. You look out the window to find a bulbous ambulance has just rammed your precious fuel-efficient Honda. Damnit!

That was the scene on Park Avenue yesterday evening when an Amb-U-Care (or as Hoboken Police Dispatchers call “AmCare”) driver rammed the parked Accord, jamming it into the curb and the car in front of it. The impact totaled the little Honda, but luckily no injuries were reported. The ambulance had apparently just turned on to Park from Observer (at probably a pretty high rate of speed for the area) when an attempt to squeeze in between a Fresh Direct truck and parked cars turned into this mess. Something to think twice about next time you try to get into your car on a crowded Hoboken street. The driver was overheard to have said he “lost his brakes”. Riiiiight.

PHOTO GALLERY (HOLD MOUSE OVER IMAGE TO NAVIGATE - 10 PHOTOS IN THIS SET)

(Thanks to the Hoboken411 reader that sent the pictures in!)

8/13/2008 Update:

I’m still very much disappointed in this intersection, and would hardly expect anyone from City Hall to listen.

Ballard does no good!

I spent some time near this intersection last week and found that vehicles butt right up to the ballard, and it is still difficult to see oncoming traffic. Cars still creep into the lane of traffic to get a better view. Car after car after car.

Why won’t City Hall listen to my previous intersection suggestions? Especially near “home base?”

SEE PREVIOUS UPDATES TO THIS INTERSECTION AFTER THE JUMP…

[Click to continue reading the rest….]

8/4/2008:

Heard about this incident briefly on the Live Hoboken Police and Fire Scanner yesterday, but was otherwise occupied. However, one Hoboken411 reader witnessed the accident first hand and had this to say:

Scary bicycle accident: 14th and Hudson

“We were having an early dinner at Hudson Tavern when we witnessed a very scary bicycle accident that sent one woman to the hospital.

PHOTO GALLERY (HOLD MOUSE OVER IMAGE TO NAVIGATE - 5 PHOTOS IN THIS SET)

Shortly after 6pm a man driving a Subaru was heading south on Hudson Street crossing the 14th Street intersection when his car collided with a woman on a bicycle heading east on 14th. The woman appeared to going at a pretty good clip when she collided with the car flipping up and over until she slammed into the ground. Customers eating at the restaurant jumped into action at the shocking scene, which was especially scary because the woman was NOT wearing a bike helmet.

It was a very jarring scene to witness, and a reminder of why you really need to be mindful of traffic when you are on a bike in Hoboken. It was also a reminder of how quickly your life can change, and how truly unprotected you are if you don’t wear a helmet. Hopefully this woman is resting comfortably and will recover from her injuries!”

8/2/2008:

This recent summer thunderstorm once again caused the sewer system to malfunction. As has happened several times in the past along 14th Street, whenever a flash rain-storm occurs, manhole covers pop off due to the increased water pressure.

Overheard on the Live Hoboken Police and Fire Scanner, “14th & Willow, near the viaduct, manhole covers coming off, and a car crashed into one…”

7/30/2008:

As a friendly reminder about “how to drive” (in Hoboken and beyond), here are some helpful hints.

Common sense says:

• Pay attention to your surroundings, the road and other drivers.
• Limit distractions. Phone, iPod, donuts, coffee, etc.
• Don’t tailgate! Leave a safe distance between you and the person ahead of you.
• What’s the hurry? Drive at a relaxed pace, it will give you more time to react.

At least three of these four cars involved in this minor fender-bender (or what HPD called “a four-car pileup”) on 11th and Hudson Streets need a refresher course! Happened about 30 minutes in the past.